


In Which Yosuke’s Life Turns Out Better Than He Thought It Would Be

by nakadoo



Series: Life is Normal but its not so bad [2]
Category: Persona 4
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-21
Updated: 2014-06-02
Packaged: 2018-01-20 06:36:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1500398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nakadoo/pseuds/nakadoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>High School is about almost over and Yosuke realizes that maybe there is some direction in his life after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Living his life without Souji had become a little bit easier. He missed him less, at least, but at the same time missed him more. It was a funny feeling that he could not quite describe, even if his life depended on it. He didn’t feel lonely anymore, despite the fact that his best friend wasn’t always at his side like before.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Or so they say.

Yosuke felt that maybe that saying was true.

With Souji’s last visit he decided that maybe he should take his studies a little bit more seriously. Hell, he only had one year left of high school left anyways so might as well go all out on it. Part of the motivation came from his friends, hearing them all planning their future made him feel like they were all growing up while he wasn't.

He had over heard Chie and Yukiko talking the other day and he was quite impressed with what he heard.

Chie wanted to graduate and go to law school and take up criminology or something similar. She didn’t have a specific plan in mind, but all she knew was that she wanted to become a police officer or a detective like Dojima-san. After the hell that the group has been through in the past, Yosuke can understand why she’d feel the way she did.

Yukiko’s original plan had been to move out and live independently and that was so different from the Yukiko that Yosuke knew. She was stronger now, and so brave and for a while, Yosuke actually thought that she would move out halfway through their last year. But, it had dawned upon her that maybe inheriting the inn wasn’t such a bad idea after all. “I’d be the boss!” she’d once said, looking absolutely delighted. “And I wont let my mother boss me around any more.”

Naoto and Rise moved out after the hectic year of puzzles and murders, both to pursue their careers. Sometimes, Yosuke would see Rise on TV talking about the new movie she was going to star in and how she’d “invite all my friends from Inaba to the premier!” 

Naoto too, he’d see on TV, but unlike Rise she was talking more about crimes and murders and how people should be more aware of their surroundings. She’s working on a really big case right now, and has had less time to come visit anyone back home.

Kanji is actually going to school now on a daily basis. He stopped bleaching his hair and started wearing prescription glasses (Yosuke wonders idly how Kanji was able to fight so well if his eyesight was bad). His grades were, well, mediocre but it’s a great improvement from his delinquent life previously. Sometimes the girls in his class would buy cute dolls from him, and he actually gained a small fanclub of his own. It amuses Yosuke to no end to see Kanji get flustered over the girls who call him “senpai.”

Teddie still works with him at Junes and though there have no longer been any murders, he still goes in the TV just in case. Yosuke’s never going to admit it out loud but he’s very proud of that stupid bear, even though said stupid bear ate all his topsicles the other day. 

“What are you going to do after high school, Yosuke?” Chie had asked one lazy afternoon, getting distracted from their study date.

Yosuke looked up from his textbook and lowered his headphones. “What?”

Chie rolled her eyes and took a sip of her soda. “I _said_ ,” she repeated with an amused grin, “what are your plans after we graduate?”

“Like… Vacation-wise or… Well, life-wise?” he asked, taking a sip from his drink as well. Might as well take a break, they’ve been studying for hours now.

She leaned back against her chair and stretched her arms above her head. “Both?”

He rubbed his chin. “Well, I was thinking that maybe we could go to the beach again? All of us, I mean,” he says thoughtfully. “Maybe camp out at the beach?”

“Oooh!” Chie practically gleamed with delight. “That sounds like fun!” but then sank down slightly with a bit of despondency. “But, I’m not sure if everyone could go.”

Yosuke nodded in agreement. “That’s true… We’ve all been so busy lately.”

“Still!” Chie said, trying to lift the mood. “We should tell them about it now so that they can free up their schedules or something.”

“That sounds good,” he agrees.

“What about life-wise?” Chie brings up after a few seconds of silence.

Yosuke looked back down at his textbook, feeling his headphones vibrate ever so slightly due to the music. “College, probably.”

“What do you plan on doing?” she asked, curiosity all but written on her face.

He scratches his head. “I’m not sure, I never really thought about what I want to do, you know? Ever since moving here, I’ve always been working at Junes so it didn’t really occur to me that I could get another job.”

“What did you want to be when you were a kid?” Chie asked, looking back down at her notes to get ready to study again. “Maybe that can help out with your decision?”

Yosuke blushed slightly. “To be honest? I wanted to go to space.”

\--

_“I’m planning to go to get into law, actually”_ Souji said over the phone. _“I guess living with my uncle kinda rubbed off on me.”_

“So a detective?” Yosuke asked. “Chie’s planning the same thing too.”

_“Is she? Maybe we can get into the same university or something,”_ Souji had replied. _”What about you, Yosuke?”_

Yosuke shrugged, his phone wedged between his shoulder and ear as he tried to cook up a meal for him and Teddie. “Eh, I gave it some thought and I still honestly don’t know what to do. I’ll probably go for general education or something and then shift when I decide.”

_“What university are you aiming for?”_ Souji asked.

“Any university that I can. I’m not as smart as you, if you haven’t noticed, so I’ve gotta have all my options ready.” He sighed, tossing the ingredients into the pan. 

_“You’re plenty smart, Yosuke,”_ Souji said in an almost fond sounding manner. _“Just very lazy when it comes to studying. Do you want me to come over and tutor you?”_

Yosuke grinned and scoffed, “Oh, Souji-sensei, please teach me everything you know!” he served what he was cooking onto a plate. Teddie would be home any minute. “As much as I’d love to have you around, I don’t think you’d have the time to.”

There was a short silence in the phone, and Yosuke wondered if maybe Souji felt a little bit sad that they couldn’t see each other. _“Sounds like you’re cooking. What are you making?”_

Yosuke blushed slightly and turned the stove off. “Omurice,” he said. “It’s kind of the only thing I can cook that isn’t instant.”

_“Sounds delicious,”_ Souji replied. _“I’ve never tasted your cooking.”_

“It’s better if you don't! You’d probably choke or something,” Yosuke laughed. Who was he kidding, Souji was great at cooking. It’d be embarrassing if he would to taste whatever he cooked.

_“Can’t be worse than mystery food X,”_ Souji chimed delightfully.

Yosuke swelled with a little bit of pride. “That’s true—Oh shit, I think Ted’s home. I’ll call you later, okay?”

_“Alright. I’ll talk to you later, partner.”_

Yosuke smiled. “Heh, thanks partner. Bye.”

\--

It was three in the morning when Yosuke’s phone rang and he groaned unhappily. Who could be calling him at this time? 

With his little Souji doll still in his arm, he grabbed the phone and pressed it against his ear. “’lo? Who is this?”

_“Sorry for calling so late,”_ was Souji’s apologetic reply. _“Something just came up.”_

Sitting up and feeling more awake, Yosuke rubbed at his eyes. “What is it? Do I need to go and protect you?” He said with a quiet laugh.

_“Yes… And no,”_ Souji said, sounding playful. _“I just realized something and, I know I could have called tomorrow but I wanted to say it now.”_

“Sounds urgent,” Yosuke said, laying back down on his bed.

_“Live with me.”_

Yosuke paused. “What?”

_“Live with me,”_ Souji repeated. _“Lets go to the same university, or at least universities that are close enough to each other.”_ He shifted, and Yosuke assumed he was in bed too. 

“Sure,” Yosuke had replied without a second thought. “That sounds really good.”

Though Yosuke couldn’t see it, Souji smiled brightly. _“Awesome.”_

“Totally awesome,” Yosuke agreed, yawning.

A few seconds of silence.

_“Actually, there is one more thing,”_ Souji added, before Yosuke could say goodnight.

“..? What is it?” Yosuke asked, curling onto his side.

_“What… Are we?”_ Souji asked, almost hesitantly.

“Uhm, human… beings?” Yosuke offered, slightly confused. “Are you sleepy or something?”

Souji laughed and it made Yosuke’s heart flutter slightly. _“No, that’s not what I mean.”_

“Then what do you mean?” Yosuke asked.

_“Are we… Well, boyfriends?”_ Souji asked, his cheeks tinting red.

Yosuke spluttered, fully awake now as his own cheeks burned red. “Uh… Y… yeah? I… Yes?” he rubbed his face, the blush creeping down his neck. “I mean, we’ve kissed already and junk and… I think we are a couple????”

Souji searched for the words. _“Yeah but uh, are we officially a couple?”_

Yosuke calmed himself down slightly. “If you want us to be,” he replied carefully. 

_“I do want us to be,”_ Souji replied. _“It feels so natural to be with you,”_ he added, sounding very much in love. _“I like holding your hand, I like hugging you, I like kissing you—“_

“Souji, stop, you’re making me blush,” Yosuke groaned into the phone. “It feels natural to be with you too.” He pondered for a moment then added “You know, I think that we’ve actually been acting pretty couple-y for a long time.”

_“Which is why it feels so natural,”_ Souji concluded. _“So… Will you be my boyfriend?”_

Yosuke laughed, his heart being loudly in his chest. “Of course I’ll be your boyfriend, you stupid prick!”

_“I love you,”_ Souji said. _“I love you a lot.”_

“I love you too,” Yosuke agreed. “And it feels natural to say it.”


	2. Chapter 2

It’s three in the morning when he hears knocking on his door, and at first he thought he was imagining it until he heard the tentative knocks once more. They’re soft, so soft it could have been his ears playing tricks on him, but they we’re enough to wake him up. Lately, he hasn’t been getting decent sleep and he’s not quite sure what it is that’s plaguing his mind enough to keep him on edge.

“Yosuke..?” The voice is just as quiet as the knocks.

He sits up and rubs at his eyes, letting out a yawn. “Come in?” He replies, not quite sure how to respond to someone knocking at three AM.

Teddie pokes his head in before squeezing his way through the tiny gap he made when he opened the door. His movements are quiet, much too quiet as compared to how he usually is, and it makes Yosuke raise his eyebrows. The blond haired boy pads his way to Yosuke’s bed as Yosuke pushes the blankets aside and makes room for him. 

“I can’t sleep,” Teddie declares, plopping down on the spot that Yosuke made available. He has a pout on his face and he’s wearing one of Yosuke’s shirts and sweat pants. Though Yosuke and the others have all chipped in for a wardrobe for Teddie, the bear still insists on wearing Yosuke’s clothing since they were softer and smelled better than the crunchy new clothes.

Yosuke leans against the bed’s headboard and nods. “Do you want a midnight snack or something?”

Teddie perks up when he hears that, but immediately deflates.

Yosuke raises his eyebrows, turning his head to face the other. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“What’s college?” Teddie asks with a confused frown on his face. He plays with the sleeve of his shirt, tugging at an undone string. “Everybody’s been talking about it and I can’t help but feel a little left out…”

A frown tugs at Yosuke’s lips. He hadn’t even thought about what would happen to Teddie if he moved out. Would he be fine in Inaba by himself? Would his parents approve of letting him stay there for any longer when Yosuke himself was no longer there? Shit, too many questions with no certain answers and in the middle of the night no less.

Yosuke runs both his hands through his hair and lets out a little put off noise before sighing and looking back at Teddie. “It’s like school, except for… well, adults I guess?”

Teddie looks down at his hands, the frown never leaving his face. “Is college in Inaba too?”

“There is one,” Yosuke says, nodding.

“So you’re all still going to be here, right?” Teddie asks, his face lighting up a little with hope.

A hope that Yosuke, unfortunately, has to break.

“No…” He looks out the window, feeling a little bit guilty.

“No?” Teddie echoes. 

There is a few seconds of silence before Yosuke feels arms wrapping around him. “Yosuke, I don’t want you to go!” he says with a voice so wobbly that Yosuke knows he’s about to cry. “I don’t want Yuki-chan or Chie-chan to leave too!” He buries his face into Yosuke’s stomach, frantically blurting out sentences that are starting to make no sense.

“H-hey!” Yosuke yelps, squirming as Teddie hugs him. “Shh! Not so loud, you dumb bear! Mom and dad might wake up!”

Teddie does quiet down, but that doesn’t change the fact that Yosuke can definitely feel warm tears on his shirt.

He sighs then lets his arms fall around Teddie in a lose hug. “Aw, c’mon, don’t cry…”

“I don’t want to be alone,” Teddie manages to mutter in between his hiccoughs and tears.

Yosuke leans forward until his forehead collides with the top of Teddie’s head and he rubs his back until he calms down. “We’re not going to leave you,” he whispers and tries to sound as reassuring as he can. “It’s just like Souji; he’s not here, but he comes back and he’s not gonna leave us alone. We’re all friends, you dumb bear, I couldn’t leave you alone even if I wanted to.”

That calms Teddie down and he looks up at Yosuke but refuses to let him go. “You promise me that?”

Yosuke nods. “I promise, we wont leave you alone,” he confirms with a nod of his head. “And if you ever feel lonely, just use the phone I gave you to call me, okay?”

“Okay…” Teddie replies. He hangs onto Yosuke’s waist for a few more minutes, just quietly hugging and nuzzling until finally a smile is on his face. When he lets go, he sits up so that he and Yosuke are at eye level. “I want my midnight snack now.”

They eat cup noodles and watch cartoons quietly downstairs. When they finished, they retreated back into Yosuke’s room and for once, Yosuke let the bear sleep with him.

Teddie is clinging onto him in his sleep and Yosuke reaches out for his phone and holds one. It’s nearly five in the morning.

_“Hello?”_ the voice that comes after the ringing sounds a little groggy and Yosuke can’t help but smile. _”It’s too early,”_ the voice whines, before a soft plop is heard. Yosuke is assuming his head flopped back onto his pillow.

“Hey, Souji,” He mutters softly into his phone receiver.

_”Yosuke? What’s up?”_ though his voice is riddled with sleep, Yosuke can hear the concern.

“I’ve got a teddy bear clinging onto me like a lifeline,” he laughs his reply, his free hand idly playing with Teddie’s hair. “I feel guilty,” he admits on the phone.

Souji raises his eyebrows, laying down on his bed with the phone pressed firmly against his ear. _”About what?”_

“Teddie doesn’t want us to leave him,” he replied with a sigh.

_”Oh,”_ was the simple response. _”Is he alright?”_

Yosuke nodded. “Yeah, I managed to calm him down. I guess I should have told him sooner about what it meant to go to college and junk,” he rubbed his forehead and sighed. “I don’t like seeing him cry.”

_”No one does,”_ Souji agreed. _”When I come over for the long weekend I’ll talk to him.”_

“Yeah, you’re way better with words,” Yosuke said with a grin.

Souji smiled. _”Now go back to sleep, you have to be awake in two hours,”_ he muttered.

“Heh. Yeah. Good night, Souji,” he said, pulling Teddie closer to him.

_”I love you,”_ Souji quickly mutters before Yosuke can hang up.

Yosuke laughs heartily, but quietly. “I love you too.”

He oversleeps and even though he’s rushing to school and his legs are aching in protest as he pedals his bike as fast as he can, he doesn’t really regret having that talk with Teddie.


End file.
